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(No Model.) 2 sheets-sheet 1. W. H. JOHNSON 81; T. KRUSE.

DRY GLOSBT'.

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2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Mod-e1.)

' W. H. JOHNSON 8u T. KRUSE.

DRY GLosBT. l No. 440,895. Patented Nov. 18, 1890.

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lVILLIAM'II. JOHNSON AND THEODORE KRUSE,OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

DRY CLOSET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 440,895, dated November 18, 1890. Application filed May 22, 1890. Serial Noi 352 ,796. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whoml t may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM H. JOHNSON and THEODORE KRUSE, of Indianapolis, county of Marion, and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful In1provements in Dry Closets; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which like letters and figures refer to like parts.

Our invention relates to the construction of dry closets for use in hotels, school-houses,

and large buildings; and it consists in an arrangement whereby the liquid matter is evaporated by a current of dry air passing over it and all offensive odors carried up the ventilating-flue, while the solid matter is desiccated and rendered thoroughlyinoffensive, and will be understood from the following description.

In the drawings, Figure l is a top view, partlybroken away, showing the floor, the grating beneath and the series of corrugated metallic shelves, and the bottom of the vault below. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same, also partly broken away. The arrows in both of these figures indicate the direction of the aircurrents. Fig. 3 is an end view, the walls being in section. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail sectional view of one of the seats, the seatcover being partly raised, the dotted lines showing the position of the entire cover when fully lifted. Fig. 5 is a top view of the plate forming the lower cover.

In detail, w w are the walls of the inclosure, which is excavated of sufficient depth, the bottom being of concrete or cement laid on the ordinary soil. o is a Ventilating flue formed at one end of the vault. f is a furnace located therein having openings on the outside of the wall for starting a fire for creating a current up the line. Connected with this furnace are water-pipes p, for conducting the heat along the entire length of the vault.

s are the seats, which are preferably made of iron and are bolted to an iron floor, as shown in Fig. 2. These have wooden tops t', fastened to the metallic hinged top t of the seat, and an upper cover formed of wood and iron, as shown in Fig. 4, the wood l forming the finish to the metal plate 2 of this cover, and between the bottom piece 4 and the upper piece 2 are air-spaces 3, and similar airspaces 5 are formed between the wooden part of the top t and the metal plate t, these airspaces preventing the heating or burning of the wooden parts of the seats when the chamber of the vault is burned out for destroying the dried fecal matter. The partitions between the seats are also preferably made of iron, and the back of non-inflammable material, and the walls of the vault are also brick. A short distance below the floor and set in the sides of the vault is an open metal grating g, which extends the whole length of the series of closets, and below this grating are lapping shelves s s2, made of corrugated iron, these be.

ing somelittl'e distance apart, as shown in Fig.

2, and below these shelves extends a hot-water pipe p. may be connected with the smoke-flue of the The Ventilating-shaft o, if desired,

7o furnace, the two flues being separated by a wall, or so that the heat from the furnace will j warm one of the Walls of the Ventilating-flue sufficiently to create a current and carry the heated air up the flue, and when the larger furnace is not used a small furnace f, located at the bottom of the Ventilating-flue, as shown in Fig. 2, is arranged for use; but, if desired, this furnace might be connected at theopposite end of the wall. A The location of the furnace is not so material, so that it will furnish heat enough to carry the odors up into the ilue and out into the open air. The fecal matter falls first upon the grating, the liquid percolating through and falling on the corrugated iron shelves, where it is evaporated by t-he air-currents, the solids remaining on the grating, Where they are dried, the whole mass being thus thoroughly exposed to the action of the heated air. Vhen completely evaporated and dried, the bulk of the 'solid matter is reduced fully three-fourths, and when enough has accumulated it may either be removed or it may be entirely destroyed by burning, coal-oil being thrown on the mass through the seat-openings and ignited, and the air-spaces formed under the cover and wood parts of the seats willprevent these from being injured during this operation.

Ve are aware that closets have been con# structed where the matter has been received upon a brick floor set in the vault below and IOC its odors carried away by air-currents, and we do not broadly claim such a device as our invention; but we consider that the receiving of the whole mass of fecal matter upon a brick floor is objectionable and a defective form of construction, as it will be much more difficult to dry out and evaporate the liquid matter and carry away the odors from the mass, thus making the closets much more offensive than where the alternating corrugated iron shelves and gratings are used, as shown in our apparatus. This is the main feature of our invention, and the construction of the tops and covers of the closet with air-spaces between is another feature. These air-spaces are conveniently formed by connecting lugs 'l to the top part of the iron plate, as shown in Fig. 4, and, as will be seen, this lower metal plate t is hinged directly to the casing of the seat, while the plate 2 of the cover is hinged upon the top by a longer and independent hinge. This allows either part of the seat to be raised separately, or both may be raised together. The hinge of the cover is provided with an extension or stop to furnish a rest or bearing for such cover when thrown up, thus supporting it when raised.

For the purpose of taking airinto the vault we provide inlets @preferably of the shape indicated; but, if desired, they may be square, or that end of the vault may be left entirely open for such purpose.

Vhat we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is the following:

l. A dry-closet vault connected with a ventilating-shaft for carrying odors and evaporated matter of the night-soil, a grate disposed below and in line with closets above, and a series of corrugated metal shelves arranged on alternate sides of the vault of less width than the same, in combination with a heater located in the vault for creating a current from the vault up the fine, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a dry closet, one or more seats constructed of metal secured to an iron floor, a metal grating disposed in such vault below such seats, and a series of alternating corrugated metal shelves below such grating of less Width than the vault-opening, in combination with a Ventilating-shaft connected to the vault, and a heater located at one end thereof, substantially as shown and described. 3. In a dry closet, a seat-frame composed of metal having a metal top provided with lugs,

a wooden seat-frame disposed upon such lugs leaving an air-space between, a cover having a bottom composed of two pieces of metal with air-spaces between and an extension forming a hinge at the rear, and a wooden top `piece set in the cover upon the metal bottom, substantially as shown and described.

4. A dry closet comprising one or more seats secured to a metal floor above the vault, a metal grating set in the vault below such seats and a corrugated metal shelf below such grating, a Ventilating-flue at one end of the vault, and a heater with suitable pipe-connections for heating the air in the vault and creating a current up the flue, substantially as shown and described.

5. ln a dry closet,a series of corrugated WVM. H. JOHNSON. THEODORE KRUSE.

lVitnesses:

H. D. NEALY, E. B. GRIFFITH. 

